ALBANY, Ga. — Monroe Comprehensive High School teachers cooked up a music video for students heading to a virtual classroom experience.
Students are loving the clips that have been shared thousands of times in the last 24 hours.
11Alive’s Cheryl Prehiem spoke with Callie Evans and Audri Williams, the high school teachers who wrote, choreographed and recorded the “What’s Poppin” music videos to make a memorable start for a virtual school year.
The message behind the songs are something everyone can dance and relate to – students heading into an unpredictable school year as a result of the pandemic.
Both teachers went to Instagram to unveil the music video inspired by the Jack Harlow single "What's Poppin?'
“Getting the choreography together with our cheerleaders. Going to the studio and actually recording, and actually feeling like we’re real rappers was actually really fun,” Williams said.
A blast – but the project had a bigger purpose, too. They know the students need to be encouraged and lifted up.
“I would have so many students email me and say, 'Mrs. Williams, I can’t do my work. I am sick. I have COVID' or 'I have to quarantine,' or 'my dad just passed away,'” Williams said.
So many of the students impacted by COVID-19 have been through a lot.
“Albany is a small city. It’s a close-knit city. People knew all those that passed away,” Evans said.
When the pandemic started, their community of 75,000 in southwest Georgia was a hot zone hit harder than many other cities in the United States.
“If there’s someone that I’m teaching and they’re hurting. That means I’m hurting too,” Williams said.
They’ve all gone through it together; and teachers, like teachers do, care beyond quizzes and calculus. They want the kids to be happy.
“You can overcome adversity. No matter what you’re going through. You can always strive to be your best,” Evans continued.
Students at the high school are buzzing with excitement that the video has gotten, being shared by celebs, and blogs.
“What better way to release all of the anxiety, doubts & fears of the school year than to dance & turn up,” Williams said.
“It’s just so exciting. I just feel like the morale of the city is continuing to go up,” Evans said.